E-commerce delivery company Hived has completed a reusable packaging pilot to help address the sustainability issues around packaging, which is responsible for 45% of greenhouse gas emissions from the e-commerce industry.
Teaming up with UK-based meal subscription service Field Doctor and Oakland International, and backed by non-profit technology investor Elemental Impact, Hived trialled its circular packaging infrastructure and technology platform to deliver, collect and return reusable packaging for Field Doctor through its all-electric delivery network.
The pilot trialled Oakland’s reusable OakRA box that provides an alternative to traditional cardboard packaging. Field Doctor customers received their weekly meal subscription in an OakRA box delivered by Hived, with the packaging from the previous week collected and returned through Hived’s technology platform and physical infrastructure.
Commenting on the trial, Hived’s head of impact, Gemma Neal, said, “Hived’s mission to decarbonize e-commerce deliveries goes beyond electrification. Supporting the circular economy is a crucial development, and this trial is an exciting step toward becoming the go-to courier for circular business models.”
Oakland strategic innovation manager Luke Attwell added, “Hived has given the opportunity for OakRA to make a full-circle carbon-neutral loop with collection from factory, to consumer door, and back again being done via 100% electric vehicles. Our hope is this becomes a consumer-driven model, where consumers and organizations drive the need for a sustainable option of delivery with suppliers.”